Child
by Faust VII
Summary: Help or hurt? Love or hate? Teach or cripple? Should she leave him to fate or push him ahead?... She stood and tried to make a decision, a plan. I Do Not Own Harry Potter. Petunia Centric.
1. Decisions

Petunia watched the small child sitting in the grass with thoughtful narrowed eyes. The small boy looked to be four, not six because of his small size. He had messy black hair that almost reached his shoulder and though weighed down, flared at the ends. His skin was very pale, especially considering he was almost always out in the sun. It wasn't an unhealthy color though. In fact it suited him. His eyes were a stunning green she had never seen on anyone before. Not even her sister. The child, Harry, was her sister's child. He was a magical child. How she hated magic. But as she watched the small boy sitting in the grass she felt a pang of guilt. He looked so innocent. She had always carried the thoughts that wizards and witches were evil and freakish. At least since her sister had gone off to Hogwarts. How she had hated how their parents had favoured Lily, loved Lily, more then herself. She'd hated Lily. But as she looked at her sister's child she couldn't but help as see him just as her nephew.

Petunia violently shook those thoughts away and looked back to the child. He had finished his chores and was now sitting with his back to the house in the backyard. She had hoped to break him. Break his spirit, his innocence. She'd made him do all the chores, made him cook, clean, wash. She'd made him live in the cupboard under the stairs. She'd glare at him, yell at him, slap him. Vernon had done the same. Hating the boy, yelling at him, pushing him around. Dudley had followed their example. Laughed at the boy, ridiculed the boy, hit the boy.

It wasn't hard to think of the boy as a freak at times. He was unnatural. He was too intelligent. He'd stare at her so intelligently she felt he understood everything. _Everything_. It was unnerving to have him watch her. That's why she'd make sure he was busy. When ever he wasn't busy he'd either watch them, observe them. Or he'd sit outside and observe other things. Like he wanted to learn all their secrets. She'd seen him sitting with three of the neighbours cats once. They seemed to be whispering to each other. Planning. But at the same time he looked so innocent. It made her shudder. But as she watched him closer over the past few years she realized something.

He was innocent.

He wasn't planning, just watching. Wondering. He was curious. He never seemed sad or angry. He would sometimes give a bright smile but it was are, and it was never at them. She'd thought he'd hate them for working him to the bone, for hitting him, for starving him. But he'd just take it without words. He was a silent child. Barely made a noise. He never asked for his parents. Like he understood they weren't alive anymore. He'd sit in the yard and gardens as much as absolutely possible and just seemed to listen to something they couldn't hear.

Vernon had suggested he was touched in the head, but Petunia knew he wasn't. He was intelligent. She'd seen him Dudley's homework once. He'd done it faster then she'd thought possible considering he had low grades in school. When she'd taking him shopping (to carry the things), he'd tally up the total and whisper it to her before even the cashier had it done. He was almost scarily smart. But he still seemed absolutely innocent. She took it as cunning. He was as cunning as could be. She had so many conflicting views on the child. She wanted to hate him, yet she didn't. She wanted to break him, yet she wanted to help him. It was so confusing. She knew he was intelligent, cunning, beautiful, but she could see he wasn't always there.

Petunia looked thoughtfully at the child, trying to make up her mind. Help or hurt? Love or hate? Should she leave him to fate. Leave him to fend for himself against her family and herself? Or should she stand up for him, punish herself and tsp her family? Should she love him like her own child? Or should she hate him as a wizard? She knew he'd be a wizard. He was their saviour. He had to face the evil wizard. She knew he stood little chance. He was going to die. 'So why bother loving him, helping him?' She'd asked herself. But maybe if she did he wouldn't die? But if she loved him he'd still be taken away at eleven. He'd still fight and possibly die. It'd hurt her in the end. She bit her bottom lip. For almost an hour she stood and tried to come up with a decision, a plan. Finally she did. When she did she straightened, replacing her thoughtful look with a haughty one.

"Harry!" She yelled out the window.

The boy was still sitting in the same spot as an hour ago. He turned to her and looked at her with large green eyes and a small smile. A bird sat in his arms, cuddled against his hand me down clothes. He stood and lifted the bird into the sky. It chirped and flew off. She couldn't help but shudder. Animals shouldn't act like that. Act like the boy understood them. Harry tilted his head as he walked into the house, looking at her with large curious eyes. His eyes always made him look innocent. They looked big on his face making him the picture of cute. She was slightly envious he looked so beautiful compared to her own child. But then again she knew Vernon wasn't a looker and Dudley had taken after him.

"Harry." she said again.

He didn't say anything just looked up at her with wide eyes.

"I'm going to teach you to cook. Then you can take care of that also."

He gave a small smile and she could see why Vernon thought him touched in the head. The smile was dreamy, like he didn't understand at all. Like he wasn't in reality. She shook the thought off and nodded curtly to herself. Teaching him to cook wasn't, hopefully, going to be difficult.

.--.

Sorry. The next chapters will be longer. Promise.

End of Chapter 1.


	2. Slack

She watched her boy splash from her seat next to them. Dudley had pleaded with them to take him to the pool. Vernon had immediately brought them during the weekend. Then he had bought the family pass so they could come for free when ever they liked. The family pass was for two adults and two children. Though Vernon had wanted to leave Harry home he hadn't because he had thought the boy would burn it down. Her gaze drifted from Dudley to Harry. The boy was sitting on a bench in some worn swim trunks just watching the kids in swimming lessons. He was watching with an intensity she had thought no six year old could have.

She turned back to Dudley as he crowed for the waterslide. She sighed and pulled him from the water, following him as he waddled for the slide again. After six rounds she dragged him back to the hot tub and Vernon. Then she plopped in the hot tub as Vernon went to watch Dudley. Her gaze once again drifted to Harry and she almost had a heart attack as she saw him in the middle of the deep end of the pool. Then she froze. He was treading water perfectly. This was the first time he had ever been to the pool or near a body of water larger then the tub. She gave a sharp intake and just watched as he swam around. Then she closed her eyes and gave a shudder.

.--.

Petunia dropped the bundle of cloth in front of the boy and set a bunch of spools of thread and needle down on the coffee table. Then she plugged the old sewing machine in and also set it on the coffee table.

"Do what you want, just don't bother me and stay in here." She said with a stern look.

Harry looked up at her with a blank expression. Then his eyes shut and he smiled at her. She scowled but strode from the room all the same. Dudley and Vernon were off at the amusement park. She'd passed on the opportunity to go. Petunia sat down at the kitchen table and opened her book, pulling her tea to her. She could hear the soft whirl of the sewing machine in the next room.

.--.

She looked down at the child and the item he held in his arms. The hand stitched…stuffy…was different. It was made of dark greens, greys, and blacks. It was sewed together so it looked like it had been stitched up in various places. The eyes were different sized buttons and the mouth was a piece of material that made an eerie grin.

"I named it Dee.' Harry said with a chirp.

How he ever managed to show happy emotion when talking to the people -_who_ _had starved him, worked him to the bone, hit him_- she would never know. Her eyes drifted from the animals to see he had fixed his clothes. They fit him better. He'd taken them in and fixed up all the holes. He'd learned how to sew after only two hours. She nodded once, still frowning at him.

"If Dudley asks for it, you give it to him." She said sternly.

He just smiled and hugged the stuffy, a twinkle in his eyes. She knew Dudley would never catch a glimpse of it.

.--.

She gazed around the gym, watching the other children running on mats and beams. Dudley had seen some gymnastics and had wanted to join. Vernon had signed him up and paid for a year of lessons. Dudley quit after the second. He had been upset that he couldn't do anything 'fun' like learning flips and playing on the high bars. The lessons were stilled paid for though. Petunia watched as Harry listened with rapt attention to the instructor. She told herself she was doing it as to just not waste the money spent on the lessons.

.--.

She looked at the child from the car window and dropped the wallet in his hand. It was one of Vernon's old ones.

"That's the money for the groceries. Buy everything on the list."

She dropped the list in his hand.

"You get no more then that money. It should be just enough for the items."

He just gave her a smile and trotted into the grocery store. Few would question him. He'd been to that store with her regularly. She wondered if when he found the sales and walked out with extra change, would he give it back to her or keep it?

.--.

Petunia opened the small cupboard door and scowled at it. To small. Even though Harry was only seven and small for his age it was getting to small for him. She huffed and shut the door again to move upstairs. An hour later she was dumping Harry's blankets on the old bed in the second bedroom. There was a bed, Dudley's old desk, a large shelf, and a small closet. Petunia dumped the worn clothes in the closet for the boy to deal with. At that moment she heard Dudley yelling he was home. She bustled downstairs and smiled at him kissing his cheek and asking if he had a good day. He just grumbled and tossed his bag near the couch and kicked his shoes off. Then he walked up the stairs.

Harry slunk in the door behind his cousin and took his battered shoes off, setting them neatly on the rack. He gathered Dudley's shoes and did the same thing before unpacking Dudley's new back pack and his own old one. Petunia mentally counted down as she absently watched Harry. Right on time with her counting she heard Dudley give an outraged cry and come running down the stairs.

"Mummy! What happened to my toy room?" He blubbered, face red in anger and eyes teary.

"It's Harry's room now sweetums."

She noticed Harry's attention zone in on them as he stood silently to the side.

"But Mummy! I don't want him in there! It's my room!"

What followed was an hour long temper tantrum. She finally got Dudley to accept it by promising three new toys and ice cream along with a trip to the zoo.

.--.

She walked into the room, the large bags weighing her arms down. She dropped them by the boy's desk making a loud thump. A book slipped from the open bag and Harry looked up at her curiously.

"They're library books. Wreck them and you'll regret it." She said sternly. "Marge is coming in an hour. You won't leave this room unless we call for you, which we won't, or you have to use the bathroom. She'll be here for a week. You'll stay out of the way. Got it?"

He nodded to her and then reached down and picked up the book that had fell out, 'French For Beginners'. There were a few language books, some history books, some how to do books, and a variety of other books. They appeared to have been plucked of the shelf randomly as she walked by it. They hadn't been chosen randomly. She sniffed and walked out of the room shutting it behind her and leaving the boy with the books.

.--.

Petunia only half listened to Marge speak as she herself, Vernon, Marge, and Dudley sat at the diner table eating. Her eyes were more focused on Harry outside. The boy had taken her word to stay in his room, but came out at dinner every night to sit outside. The weirdest thing was Ripper, Marge's bulldog, was sitting right on Harry's lap outside calmly allowing the boy to pet him. The dog didn't like anyone. It was even grumpy with Marge most of the time. But with Harry it acted like he was its best friend. Harry leaned over and mouthed something to the dog. Like he was whispering to it. She could see the dog give a soft bark in return. She shuddered.

.--.

Harry looked at her in curiosity. It was the only thing he usually looked at her with. He was curious with everything. She sighed and dropped the bills, checks, and other things in front of him on his desk.

"Do those."

He didn't question why. The next day the bills were paid off.

.--.

Petunia walked behind Harry, watching as the boy picked things off the shelves and organized them in the cart. Dudley was hoping around them laughing and talking. The mall was quite busy on a Saturday. She walked on pushing the cart as she let Harry take over getting everything. She never said what they needed. Harry picked it out. As they reached the toy section Dudley squealed and leapt in. Harry stood by the cart patiently with her. She glanced at him.

"Go pick something out." She said.

He looked at her with his head tilted slightly.

"Aunt Petunia?"

"I said go pick something out. For yourself."

He peered at her a moment then vanished down an isle. She negotiated with Dudley and the boy, in the end, put one toy in the cart. As they started off again Harry returned. He dropped a paint set in the cart. She didn't say anything. Dudley didn't notice so no ruckus was raised. As Dudley got antsy she let go of the cart to hold his hand. She stood to the side as Harry paid the cashier. The woman cooed about how grown up he was acting. He just smiled at her. He grabbed as many bags as possible leaving her to grab the last few. They returned to the car outside and Harry set all the bags in the car. She buckled Dudley in the back seat and Harry slid in the front, leaning over to start the car and turn Dudley's favourite CD on. She didn't glance at him as she slid into the driver seat and pulled from the lot.

.--.

End of Chapter 2.


	3. Levels

"Mummy!" Dudley called as he stumped into the kitchen. "He's painting on his walls!"

She didn't ask who he meant. She gave a sigh and turned to Dudley smiling.

"How about some chocolate Dudley?"

He forgot his tattle and quickly grabbed the chocolate bar rushing outside. She sighed again. Ever since Harry had got the paint set he would spend hours painting. She had bought him a few other ones once in a while, saying they were for Dudley, but Dudley would always forget about them and Harry would find them. She sighed again as she sipped the last of her tea and headed for the stairs. She now knew why Harry had locked himself in his room for the last few weeks. He had just come out for the bathroom and water. Not even food. She had had to shove the odd bowl of soup in his hands as he walked by her.

She reached his room and stepped in. She opened her mouth to say something and froze. Her mouth fell open as she gazed around. All his furniture was shoved into the center of his room, blankets and other things shoved under the bed for cover. Lying around the floor were random newspapers, paint cans and brushes. She recognized about five cans of paint for the shed outside. She didn't want to know how he had gotten past the lock and got the paint into the house without anyone knowing.

His walls, though, were what ensnared her attention. They were giant paintings. The wall with the window looked like a forest, full of old gnarled trees and wildflowers. It painted a gloomy and mysterious picture. She could see eyes and parts of animals in the half raised roots and the swaying branches. In the center of the trees, under the window was a clearing which held a bright blue table covered in tea cups and pots. She could see steam rising from one cup. The steam seemed to take the shape of a skeleton. The wall to the left was so random it made her head hurt looking at it. It was painted to look like on giant mirror, which had shattered. The parts that weren't part of the shattered mirror were black with twisted shapes. Each piece of shattered mirror held a picture. A half vanished cat, faces, shadows, shapes, animals and other things all entangled together making it a picture of shattered madness. The wall to the right look as and as the left. It was a series of pillars that looked so real that they appeared to hold the roof up. But it was an optical illusion. No pillar ever seemed to start of end or start. Hiding in-between the pillars were various animals and colourful shapes.

The wall with the door was different. On the left side of the door stood a man in a multi-colored suit that look a bit too big on him. He had brown hair that poked out every where under an emerald green top hat. He had eerily familiar green eyes. Under his left eye was a tattoo of a cross and a tear drop. He held a cup of tea in his hand and had a smile on his face. Above him were words made of twisting ribbon. _Welcome to my Domain_. On the right side of the door stood another man in a black and white suit. He had wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. He had a small smirk on, though his eyes danced with something she couldn't place. He had a tattoo of a bunch of small crosses under his right eye. His hands were folded behind his back. There was an elegant sword at his waist. Words in ribbon twisted above his head also. '_Where Insanity Reigns'_.

The background was of a wonderland a distance off. Both stood on a part of a golden path. Petunia found herself swallowing under the gazes of the paintings. So real. Too real. She noticed the door was even painted; to look like a cartoon door. Petunia couldn't take the walls, the message, the paintings. She fled the room and could almost hear laughter echo after her.

.--.

Petunia sat straight on the chair. Her gaze was steady yet surprised. The man sitting at the desk across from her looked quite serious. It had to be a joke. For a moment a disbelieving silence reigned.

"You can't be serious." She finally choked out.

The man just slid the papers to her. That was Harry's writing all right.

"Does he know?" She asked.

"He's smart enough to figure it out, but naïve enough to just ignore it." The man said.

"What do you suggest I do?"

"I would either pull him from school and home school him; get him a tutor and still pull him from school; or send him to a different school."

She leaned back into the back of the chair.

"He's seven." She echoed. "He just started first grade."

The man looked her straight in the eye.

"We noticed he had high grades and decided to do a placement test to see if he cold go to a higher class. He exceeded all expectations so we gave him a harder test. We did it till we got these results."

She stared at the test packages. She felt the realization sink in. Harry was intelligent. More then just intelligent, he was a genius. She thought he was just smarter then average and a painting prodigy. This blew her mind away.

"He's at a high school level." She laughed to herself in shock.

"More accurately he's at a grade ten level in math, grade eight in socials, grade ten in biology, grade nine in all around science, and grade ten in English. He's got a vocabulary better then most adults and he's more mature then I've seen a lot of adults. And his drawing and painting ability is absolutely stunning. Mrs. Dursely. Your Nephew is an absolute genius. Anti-social, but a genius none the less."

Petunia leaned back heavily and rested her face in her hands. For a moment she looked at the floor in deep thought.

"…How would home schooling work?"

The principal smiled.

"You would go fill out the paper work and such at the education office downtown. Then you'd get all the work he would need for each subject. You would either return it slowly or all at once for them to mark. You would have to go in twice a month though to do tests and presentations for certain classes, to prove it is him doing the work and he is learning."

It sounded simple. The man slid her a sheet with the address. Then he stood and shook her hand.

"I don't believe I will have him much longer then." He smiled.

"I'll take him today."

The man gave grin. Then they stepped out of his office. Harry sat on one of the chairs swinging his legs and chewing on a mint the secretary had given him. He looked up as they exited. He hopped to his feet and the principal stepped forward. Harry shook his hand, smiling at the man.

"Good luck Harry. I'll miss our interesting conversations."

He smiled again and Petunia headed off, Harry skipping by her side.

"I don't have to come back?" he asked.

She was slightly surprised to hear him talk. She looked down at him.

"No."

"Okay. It was boring."

She could understand why.

.--.

Petunia dropped the large binders full of paper on the desk along with a few text books, some knew supplies, and some books from the library. Harry, who was lying on his bed looked up. She purposely looked at him and not the walls.

"That is your work. Work at your own pace, but finish before summer. Grade ten math, grade nine socials, grade eleven biology, grade ten physics, grade ten chemistry, Grade eleven English."

He hopped from his bed and scurried over.

"I'll start now." He beamed.

She watched him a moment as he quickly and nimbly organized all the stuff on a shelf and pulled out the first binder or work. She watched him start a moment. She wouldn't tell him yet, but a lot of people would be keeping an eye on his grades now. The results of the test had been publicly released, though they had kept his name out of it. Most of the public now knew there was a seven year old child as smart as any high school-er. The universities and colleges of the world had fell on the information like vultures. As soon as he passed the high school exams, and even if it took him a couple years, they would pounce on him. She had no doubt he would be offered spots in the best schools of the world if he continued to learn and gain knowledge. She doubted he would have to pay a cent for it either. Universities and colleges everywhere would pay him to attend. She watched only a moment before walking from the room.

.--.

End of Chapter 3. ( I really like a smart Harry )


	4. Games

She dropped the three books by his still form along with a large first aid kit. He tilted his head to look at her. She didn't say anything and kept her face perfectly blank. The blood dripping from his pale skin left a ghastly image. She set a bottle of water, some rags, and a bowl of hot water beside him also. He just watched silently.

She straightened and walked from the room. She could swear she heard a soft thank you echo after her. It had top be her imagination. What was he thanking her for?

Letting Vernon beat him with the belt?

Or perhaps for leaving him to care for himself?

She almost snorted. No, he had no reason to thank her. At least not that he should know of… or understand.

.--.

He looked at the ground in thought as if planning everything in his head. She looked to the pile of supplies to make sure there was everything he would need. Soil, pots, seeds, shovel, gloves, bucket, water can. It was all there.

"Make it about three feet wide and as long as the fence."

He gave an absent nod and glanced at the landscaping book in his hand. He was remaking the garden along the front wall of the house. She moved back inside and sat down in the living room. She saw Harry lean over. Once in a while he would pop up again before vanishing beneath the window.

It was growing dark when he finally came and got her. She followed him back outside and she looked at his handiwork. The garden stretched along the wall, three feet wide and as long as the house. It was perfectly straight on the front and the flowers were all evenly spaced in a nice arrangement. She gave him a nod and he gave another dreamy smile.

.--.

Petunia looked at the neighbour in surprise. The woman who lived in number six just smiled at her.

"So I was wondering if I could hire your nephew. I saw the beautiful job he did with the garden yesterday and he's always makes sure the others look nice. I need some of my gardens weeded and flowers planted but I never have enough time." The woman sighed regretfully.

"I'm sure he'd be happy to help." Petunia smiled.

The woman beamed and Petunia turned to the stairs.

"Harry, come down here please!"

A moment later the small black haired by came trotting down the stairs to stand next to her.

"Yes aunt Petunia?"

"Mrs. Smith here would like to know if you would work for her."

Harry blinked and looked up at the woman a smile on his face. She smiled back.

"I need some work done around the yard. I'll pay you of course."

He smiled at her and nodded.

"Okay."

She beamed.

"When can you come work?"

"Whenever." Harry said still smiling.

"What about school dear?"

"We're home schooling him." Petunia interjected.

"Oh! That must be some work." The woman smiled.

"He's a bright child." Petunia said.

The woman just smiled and mussed up Harry's hair. The boy's hair was quite long now and was almost always in a small pony tail at the nape of his neck.

"Well can you start now then honey?" She asked Harry.

Harry gave a nod and followed the woman out of the door. Petunia waved after them then shut the door. Good, the boy was earning his own wages now, she decided not to tell Vernon until he found out by himself. And as her husband was always clueless, that might take a while.

.--.

Petunia watched her son and his friends from the back window in the kitchen. They had Harry cornered against the fence.

"Guess what freak." Dudley giggled. "We thought of a new game."

"Harry hunting." Piers laughed.

She kept an eye on Harry and caught the first move. Harry had jumped and pushed off the fence with one foot, flipping over Dudley and using another boy's head as a spring board. He hit the ground and started to run.

She could see the gymnastic lessons had paid off.

But some of that grace had not been gymnastics at work. He wasn't just a genius mentally. He ran past the window she stood in and for a moment he turned his head. Their eyes met and the message was clear. She wasn't going to help. She stared blankly and he seemed to smile before he was gone.

.--.

Petunia was sipping at her tea when Harry stepped in the kitchen. The boy had a few streaks of dirt on his clothes though looked content. Most of the people on Privet drive had started to hire the boy once they learned he was great gardener and willing to work hard.

"I am finished work for the week." He said softly. "My school work is done also."

She gave him a surprised look. It was summer break. She had expected him to take a break. Seems she was wrong. She gave him a haughty look.

"I will take your work in tomorrow. We can schedule your exams for tomorrow also."

He gave a nod and walked back out the door. She watched after him. She heard the washer start a moment later. He would grow up to be the perfect house wife. She snorted at the thought.

.--.

She looked over the packages and sighed in resignation. Grade twelve math, biology, physics, chemistry, English, history, law, planning, accounting, computer engineering, philosophy, Entrepreneurship, medical technologies, calculus, and geography. He was eight.

She looked back out the car window and spotted Harry in the store talking with the clerk. He had used his money to buy some new clothes. She hadn't told him she had slipped some more money into his wallet one night. The boy kept it under a loose floorboard in his room but she had known about it. He never remarked about the extra money and it was never spoken of.

She looked back down to the radio and fiddled with it. The car door shut a moment later and she glanced only once at Harry who sat under some bags. Then she pulled from the parking lot and headed down the road.

.--.

She watched from his doorway as he filled papers out. She could see him solving the complex math equations with barely a thought. Some would take even most adults with a calculator five minutes to do. After about ten minutes of working on various equations Harry paused and snapped his binder shut. He looked at her.

"Aunt Petunia." He started quietly, his head tilted and a finger tapping his cheek. "Am I wizard?"

Her breath was released in a whoosh as she stared at him in shock.

"Mrs. Figg had some interesting books on her shelves the last time I went to see her."

Petunia opened her mouth again. Then she snapped it shut. Figg? The crazy cat lady new about wizards and witches. Then she shuddered. The woman must have been sent to keep an eye on Harry. Luckily Vernon never hit the boy's face or hands. If he had she would have noticed and the wizards would have been sent. She paused in her thoughts and turned back to the boy who was smiling dreamily at her.

"Yes." She finally answered in a mere whisper.

"Good." He smiled.

Then he snapped his fingers. The paintings on his walls sprung the life. The two men on either side of her stretched and sent him silent grins. The animals in the trees leapt off into the forest and the tea gave off moving steam. The branches and leaves rustled. The animals behind the pillars moved around and watched her curiously. The shattered pieces of mirror seemed to float like in space, bumping into each other silently once in a while to bounce away on slow motion. The pictures in the mirror jerked around and many switched pieces. All the books on the shelves started to randomly rearrange and the shelves themselves floated a few inches of the ground. His bed made itself then unmade it self before repeating the process. Petunia did the only thing that came to mind.

She fainted.

.--.

End of chapter 4.


	5. Vaults

She parked the car outside of the pub and nervously slid from the car. Harry got out on the opposite side and quickly stepped beside her. He slipped his hand in hers and she almost jerked away. Then she relaxed. At least he was cunning. They stepped into the leaky cauldron and only the bar keeper even glanced at them.

"Ah, can I help you?" He asked.

"Yes please." Petunia smiled. "My son and I are meeting my friend in Diagon Alley. But as you see I'm a muggle. My friend forgot since the last time we met I guess as she didn't meet me outside."

The man nodded cheerfully and led them to the back courtyard. He opened up the alley and waved them in before it closed. Once it did she looked around the place. It was more peaceful then the last time she had seen it. It was even more stunning too.

Harry beside her gazed around before walking down the street. She had told him everything she knew about the alley but left him to figure everything else out on his own. He pulled the hat lower and headed for Gringotts. She had told him he may be recognized and he was smart enough to realize it may not be a welcome reception. He paused at the front doors of the bank and then stepped in. Petunia kept a blank mask on as they stepped into the goblin bank. She would never admit the small creatures terrified her. She didn't say anything to Harry just followed him to a teller. The goblin sneered at them while Harry watched him with a thoughtful look.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Your bank is very nice." Harry said. "But there isn't much color."

The goblin just sneered at him again.

"I would like to see if I have any vaults."

The sneer stayed on. The goblin pushed what looked like a keypad forwards.

"Bloody hand against that."

Harry took an offered silver knife and slashed his hand. Petunia winced wondering how he did that while all the while giving a dreamy smile. He pressed his hand against the metal leaving behind a bloody hand print. The blood then sunk into the metal, vanishing. A moment later the seven keys seemed to melt from the metal; two gold and five silver. The goblin picked up the first gold and looked it over scowling.

"Vault 316. Magical school vault. Opened by Lily and James Potter. Funds for school tuition and school supplies. You may not access it until you either start school or hire a tutor. Money will be transferred to it from the Potter vault when you need the money."

He handed Harry the key and it vanished into the boy's coat as the goblin picked up the second gold.

"Vault 272. Party vault. Opened by Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, and James Potter under the instructions Lily never learn of it or they will be beaten badly."

Petunia could swear the goblin's lips twitched upwards. She wondered where he got the information. Then she shrugged mentally. Must be a magic thing.

"It contains money for Harry Potter to do what ever he wishes with it. Spend it on goodies, presents, parties, or such is the suggestion made by Sirius Black."

The goblin handed him the key.

"You may access it whenever you wish. It contains .5 million (500 000) galleons."

Petunia couldn't remember if it was galleons that were worth more or pounds. She was going to go with the pounds were worth more, but that was still a lot. The goblin picked up the first silver Key.

"Vault 12. Potter Family vault. Contains heirlooms, treasures, and money of the Potter family. Owned by head or heir of the House of Potter. Contains 7.9 billion galleons. You may access it either when you become the head of the house of Potter by coming of age or are emancipated either magically or by the muggle way."

The key slipped into Harry's jacket and the second silver was picked up.

"Vault 14. Eclipse Family vault. Contains treasures and money of the Eclipse family. Eclipse family died out four hundred years ago. Last of the Eclipse blood married into the Potter line. The vault as not accepted anyone in thirteen decades. Owned by the head or heir of the House of Potter. Contains 6.2 billion galleons. You may access it when you become head of the house of Potter."

The third silver key was picked up.

"Vault 2. Gryffindor Vault. Contains heirlooms, treasures, and money of the Gryffindor line. The Potter line contains the last of the Gryffindor blood. Last accessed by Joseph Potter seventeen decades ago. As the last living Potter control falls to you even though you are not of age because the Vault accepted you and the blood flows through your veins. When Gryffindor made the vault there were no laws on age. Contains 13.5 billion galleons."

The fourth silver key was picked up.

"Vault 3. Ravenclaw Vault. Contains heirlooms, library, and money of the Ravenclaw line. The last of Ravenclaw blood married into the Potter line a few centuries ago but the vault has not let anyone in as of yet. It falls under your control immediately as the vault has accepted you and the blood flows through your veins. Contains 11.8 billion galleons."

The fifth and final silver key was picked up.

"Vault 1. Slytherin Vault. Contains heirlooms, treasures, and money of the Slytherin line. The last of the Slytherin blood flows through two families, the Guants and the Potters. Last to access it was Henry Gaunt fifteen decades ago. You have access to it now as the vault has accepted you and the blood flows through your veins. Contains 15.1 billion galleons."

The fifth key was slipped into Harry's coat.

"Do you have a list of properties I inherit?"

The goblin snapped his fingers and list appeared. Petunia looked over Harry's shoulder to read. He shifted it so she could see better.

_Potter Properties_

Godric's Cottage; Location Godric's Hollow, England. Muggle fashioned home. Three bedroom, two bath. Comfortable family home. On a muggle lot.

Potter Mansion; Location unknown, Scotland. Large, spacious, wizarding manor. Sixty bedroom, fifty bath. Formally designed and decorated. Potter family home. Two hundred acres. Under charms to hide it from muggles and muggle technology.

Getaway; Location Caribbean. Small beach side house. Four bedroom, three bath. Along beach. Five acres.

_Eclipse Properties _

Eclipse Cottage; Location Moscow, Russia. Five bedroom, four bath. Heart of city shopping district. Great vacation spot for shopping. On lot.

Eclipse Water View; Location Venice, Italy. Six bedroom, five bath. Beautiful view of ocean. Great vacation spot.

_Gryffindor Properties_

Gryffindor Outback; Location Unknown, Australia. Twenty bedroom, fifteen bath. Great area for potion supplies along with large training grounds. Hundred acres. Under charms to hide from muggles and muggle technology and those who mean harm.

Gryffindor Mansion; Location unknown, Ireland. Sixty bedroom, forty-five bath. Great for training. Under Fidelius charm. Address in vault. Three hundred acres.

Gryffindor Cottage; Location Unknown, Norway. Three bed, two bath. Small cottage in mountains. Great for skiing in winter. Vacation spot. Under Fidelius charm. Address on paper in vault. Ten acres.

25 % of Hogwarts

_Ravenclaw Properties_

Ravenclaw Getaway; Location Tokyo, Japan. Fifteen bedroom, ten bath. Outskirts of Tokyo. Traditional Japanese home. Beautiful gardens. Under Fidelius charm. Address in vault. Five acres.

Ravenclaw Manor; Location unknown, Egypt. Five bedroom, three bath. House in Alexandria near library. Great for warm vacation. Under Fidelius charm. Address in vault. On lot.

Ravenclaw Escape; Location unknown, Scotland. Twenty bedroom, fifteen bath. Large house with library. Great for relaxing and reading at. Under Fidelius charm. Address in vault. Hundred acres.

25% of Hogwarts

_Slytherin Properties_

Slytherin Manor; Location unknown, Germany. Eighteen bedroom, fourteen bath. Small mansion equipped the muggle way. Under Fidelius charm. Address in vault. Ten acres all fenced.

Slytherin Castle; Location unknown, England. Seventy bedroom, fifty bath. Equipped with muggle appliances, fashioned after medieval castle. Under Fidelius charm. Address in vault. Three hundred acres.

Potion Home; Location unknown, Africa. Four bedroom, three bath. Equipped with large potion labs and storage areas. Great location to find potion ingredients. Under Fidelius charm. Address in vault. Fifty acres.

Slytherin Cottage; Location unknown, Canada. Three bedroom, two bath. Relaxation spot. Beautiful view. Under Fidelius charm. Address in vault. Ten acres.

25% of Hogwarts

_Companies and Shares_

40% of Quality Quidditch supplies

30% of Ollivander's Wands

100% of Marauder's Medical Supplies and Equipment

100% of Lily's Flowers

Harry gave his dreamy smile. The goblin gave him a look with narrowed eyes.

"Most of the properties, with the exception of the Potter ones, haven't been visited in hundreds, of years. Most have been updated with muggle appliances and other such things by the house elves living in them. So even though they haven't been used since the medieval ages they are up to date. And you own the majority of Hogwarts meaning you control it. A certain amount of money is pulled from the Founder's vaults each year to fund Hogwarts. The money pulled from the vaults doesn't even count as a speck as the interest alone is more then it. The shares, the first two listed, are from the Potter family. The first is a muggle company. It sells medical supplies and equipment to almost every large clinic and hospital in the world. It was made by your father and mother. The second company was made by both your parents as well. It's a series of flower shops all over the world."

Harry gave a nod and tucked the paper away.

"I would like to see my vaults."

The goblin gave a curt nod and waved another goblin over.

"Griphook will escort you."

"A question before we go." Petunia said.

The goblin sneered, waiting.

"How many galleons make a pound?"

The goblin gave a toothy smirk.

"There are five pounds to the galleon at the moment. Mr. Potter here is the richest wizard in Britain and one of the top richest in the world. He'd be one of the richest in the muggle world also."

Petunia followed the goblin and Harry automatically, her brain shut down from the calculations at how rich the boy was.

.--.

The first vault they visited, 272, was filled with only gold coins sprinkled with a few silver. Harry just nodded and they moved on.

Vault 3 was amazing in her words. It was a huge room, larger then three of their houses, piled full of gold that sat in the middle of the room stacked impossibly neatly. The walls were packed so none was visible behind shelves upon shelves of books. The very top shelf of every shelf had the oddest items. Harry immediately found a trunk and started to throw in books barely looking at the titles. He took at least a hundred books and didn't even make a dent.

They moved to vault 2. The vault as even larger then the fourth. Gold and jewels littered the floor and items were placed randomly on random shelves. Against the back wall was a huge selection of weapons and books. No where near as many as the last vault but still a lot. Harry did the same as the last vault, tossing in a regular sword followed by books.

Vault 1 was even more amazing. Even more gold and jewels littered the floor, surrounded by shelves. To the left were shelves upon shelves holding barrels, glasses, vials, and jars of the oddest things she could only guess were ingredients to whatever. To the right the whole wall was filled with all the weapons imaginable. Each one was in top condition and looked deadly.

Harry pulled a few off and pushed them in his trunk. He left the potion ingredients alone and moved to the shelves against the back wall filled with books. They were written in a language Petunia didn't recognize and looked only like squiggly lines. Harry looked at them closely and she got the feeling he understood them. When Harry was finished with this vault he turned back to the goblin as he shut the door.

"Do you have a way I can access money without coming to the bank?"

The goblin pulled a plastic card from a pocket and held it up.

"It's fashioned after the muggle 'bank card'. It'll draw money from your account and exchange it automatically."

"Perfect. Can I have one for each vault?" He asked.

The goblin nodded and pulled out four blank cards. With the snap of his finger they engraved with numbers for the vaults on the front.

"Pictures?" The goblin asked.

"For the Slytherin vault I want a silver background with a green top hat. For Gryffindor's vault I want a purple and red striped cat grinning on a gold back ground. For Ravenclaws vault I want a teacup in purple and blues on a lilac background. For the party vault, 272, I want a gold pocket watch on a red background."

The goblin didn't comment on the choices, just snapped his fingers and they appeared. He handed them to Harry.

"Put a drop of blood on each. Only you can use them unless you allow someone else to mix their blood on them with your own."

Harry swiped them on his blood hand. The cut hadn't healed, it had just been wrapped in a strip of white cloth Harry had had with him. Then he held out the teacup on to Petunia.

"Mix your blood."

She gave him a blank look before doing so. She handed it back but he shoved it back in her hand.

"Use the money if you want."

She would never understand why he acted like he liked her when her family had been so cruel. She had also been cruel. She hesitantly slipped the car into her purse. Harry gave her a large grin.

"Shopping?"

.--.

End of Chapter 5.


	6. Style

Petunia sat down on the couch heavily giving a relieved sigh. Harry sat across from her, the floor covered in bags. They had first shopped in Diagon alley. They had bought quiet a few books there. The boy had a photographic memory. He had to. He had remembered every book he had thrown in his trunk from the vaults with only a brief glance. He'd remembered them well enough to know what books to buy at the bookstore.

They had moved from there to get Potion supplies, a few robes, and a few other odd magical items. Then they had headed into muggle London and gone on a shopping spree. Harry had bought himself a top of the line laptop, new clothes, and a huge selection of painting items, paints, canvases, and muggle books. He had also bought himself some other electronic items, a camera, computer software, compute games, a sewing machine, material, brand new gardening tools, seeds, bath supplies, better blankets, school supplies, and other odd things.

Then he had helped her shop for things they could use around the house; groceries, a new TV, a computer for Dudley, new appliances, and other things. She had also indulged a bit and bought a few items for herself. Harry had made it clear she could use what ever amount of money she wanted from the Ravenclaw vault. She doubted that everything they had gotten had made a dent in that vault and it wasn't even the largest.

Then Harry had softly talked to her about buying a larger house. She planed to tell Vernon that she had found Lily's husband was rich and had left them a large chunk of money they had found today. It would work most likely. She watched as Harry stuffed all his things in his specially designed trunk, which shrank everything automatically. Then he dragged the weightless trunk upstairs leaving her sitting there silently. Finally she reached over and picked up the newly bough real-estate book.

.--.

"It's perfect Vernon." She gushed.

He gave a satisfied grunt.

"At least it's close enough to work and a school for Dudley."

Harry stood behind them silently but Petunia knew he was there. The house they had bought _was_ beautiful. It was a large three story home with ten bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a formal dining room, a kitchen, a living room, a tea room, a family room, an entrance hall, a music room, an entertainment room, and a sun room. There was a large triple garage and even a pool behind the house. There was also a greenhouse near the back of the property, tucked away in a corner. The whole five acre lot was surrounded by a tall stone fence and the driveway had a large metal gate keeping intruders out. The house was a brown green with stone along the bottom and black shingles. It had the look of an old mansion. There were a few trees around the front of the house, but most stood out in the back last two acres to make a small section of woods. The inside of the house was also elegant and nice with high ceilings and arched doorways.

The Dursely's walked in quite quickly and started to claim rooms. Vernon and Petunia took the master bedroom and Dudley chose the room next to theirs with the room across from his own as his play room. Petunia was already coming up with all the furniture plans in her head and making a list of what they needed to get. She didn't see or hear Harry for almost five hours. When she did, she had accidentally wandered into his 'area' exploring. She had found some stairs hidden behind what had appeared to be a closet door. They were in fact stairs into the attic.

She had easily and quickly climbed the stairs to pop into the large attic. It was actually quite large. The ceiling was high enough she barely had to duck to walk through, though she did have to avoid the rafters. There were two large windows also, one at each end of the room. It was all sound and steady though with no cracks or such in the ceiling. It was actually quite cheery with soft brown wood walls. Harry had already unpacked also. The movers had helped move all the furniture into the respective rooms and she could see he had grabbed their attention and they had hauled his things up. The boy had bought a new bed frame, mattress, desk, dresser, nightstand, table, shelves, and an arm chair.

The bed was centered under the window that over looked the driveway and the front gate. It was a large black double bed frame which was only three inches or so from the ground. It was covered in front looking green blankets and pillows and had a nightstand on either side. The desk was pushed between two rafters off to the right side against the wall. It was also black in color and contained a bunch of drawers. It was a large desk in the shape of an L, leaving half sticking out pointing at the opposite wall. On one half of the L was his new compute and a small shelf containing his games and CDs. In between a few rafters black shelves could be seen, already containing books and trinkets.

Near the area where the stairs popped up was his black dresser, already full and pushed against the wall. A large forest green carpet was in front of the bed, ending near the dresser. A black armchair was opposite of the dresser, sitting at an angle near the wall. Next to it was a small table holding a lamp. Right behind the chair and tucked against the wall was a smooth black table with a hard top. On it was a sewing machine, some rulers and cutters. Below it were tubs filled with material. The left half of the room, near the window opposite of the bed was a bunch of shelves holding brushes, jars, paints, and such. A large easel was set up holding a large canvas. Small nights were nestled in the rafters above and dead center of the ceiling where two sky lights. It appeared the attic had been made to be lived in. Harry was sitting on his bed reading a book. He looked up as she entered though and smiled. She paused to glance around once again before turning back to him.

"We're going back into town tomorrow to get a few more things. Dudley will be coming because Vernon will be working and Dudley has a day off still."

Harry nodded and returned to his book. Petunia cast another glance around the room feeling slightly envious. When she had been a child she had always wanted a room like this.

.--.

She sat in the seat patiently waiting as Dudley snored on her lap. The boy had fallen asleep after running around the park for a few hours. Petunia looked at the clock again and at that exact moment a man led Harry from the back room. Harry was now fiddling with the small silver hoop in his ear He had asked and she had signed the room. As he moved his arm back down she saw the black cross on his left cheek under his eyes. She had no idea why he had wanted a tattoo of a Celtic cross. It did suit him though with the curving designs of the lines. Each point of the cross was a different color. There was deep green, deep maroon, deep blue, and then a deep purple, all with a shadow of silver. They all faded to black in the center and were outlined with black. She had signed the form though and it had been done.

She stood as she saw him and impatiently paid the man before leading him back out to the car. They had bought a second car after moving so she could drive even when Vernon wasn't home. The trunk was filled with gardening supplies while the back seat was filled with other things. She strapped Dudley in and Harry slid in the passenger front seat. Dudley woke as they started to drive away.

"Where are we?" He slurred sleepily.

"Shopping sweetums." She smiled at him.

"Oh yeah! Can we go to the pet store Mummy?!" He squealed.

She gave him a smile.

"Of course Dudleykins. Did you want a pet?"

He nodded gleefully and Petunia turned onto another street. Five minutes later they were walking into a pet store. Harry broke off from them as Dudley went straight to the lizards. Petunia followed patiently and listened to Dudley squeal and rant about what he wanted. Half an hour later she stood at the till with Dudley jumping about as she paid for the cage, the food, the toys, and a hamster. She sat him down on one of the seats and he started to spout names for the poor thing. She glanced around looking for Harry and spotted him talking to a store clerk. They were carrying a bunch of things over to the till. When they got close enough Harry motioned to her.

"This your child, ma'am?" The man asked as she stepped forwards.

She nodded glancing at the things on the till.

"Does he have permission to buy these?"

"He can get what he wants." She said waving her hand absently.

The man stared, then shrugged and he and Harry walked off again. When they finally paid for the stuff they loaded it into the car. Harry had bought a hundred galleon fish tank, fish supplies, fish, a two-hundred galleon tank, reptile sand, crickets, rocks, decorations, a large lizard, a cat carrier, cat collar, litter box, cat food, cat toys, and treats for all of them. Dudley didn't even notice, too preoccupied with his hamster.

"Why the extra reptile items and all the cat supplies?" She asked blankly as they drove.

"You'll see." He said.

.--.

Petunia blinked in surprise at the man at the door.

"Is a Harry Potter in?" He asked.

She nodded and looked to the living room. The boy was already walking over. He looked up at the man who smiled.

"Hope you like her. She's a beauty."

Then the man held out a small covered box. Harry smiled at the man and handed him some cash. Petunia shut the door after him and looked at Harry. The boy lifted the cover off the box and she squeaked at the large snake in the cage. It was a deep gold and black cobra. It was at least three feet long. Harry looked at it and seemed to whisper to it. The thing tilted slightly before hissing at him. Harry opened the cage and she quickly backed away. The snake coiled up his arm and slithered to wrap loosely around his neck. She swallowed thickly.

The doorbell rang a moment later. She hurried back to the door and opened it again. A woman holding a small cardboard box smiled at her.

"I'm here to give one Harry Potter his cat."

"Cat?"

"He contacted me about my poster to sell my cat. He said he'd buy it."

She nodded and called Harry again. Either the snake was gone or under his baggy shirt as she didn't see it. The woman held the box out and Harry handed her some cash. She left with a cheery wave. When Harry opened this box she sighed with relief at the innocent cat inside. The cat was a pure white with blue eyes. It had short smooth hair and appeared to be full grown. It purred as Harry lifted it from the boy. He stroked it and smiled, heading for towards his room. She watched him go and shuddered when she saw the clothes move on his back. The snake was still with him. How the hell he had gotten those two animals even close to each other was a mystery. She deemed this was an incident she was going to pretend never happened.

.--.

End of Chapter 6.


	7. Plans

Petunia sighed and banged on the trap door at the top of the stairs

"Open up!" she shouted.

A moment later the door did open and she gave Harry an annoyed expression.

"You've been up here for almost a month."

Harry blinked. Then he smiled and stepped aside to let her in. She stepped into his attic and saw what he had been doing. Every surface had painted picture on it. Birds appeared to fly between rafters and animal slunk in and out of the shadows. The same men from his last room where painted by his bed. They sat chatting silently at a table having a tea party. The same words hung above the door, the ribbon words waving in a breeze. She could see his fish tank full of fish next to his chair, and his lizard tank next to his desk. The cat stuff was by the dresser and the cat lay sleeping on his bed. The snake she spotted lying in the heated sand box in the corner near the bed. What caught her attention though, were the two paintings on the large canvass at the back of the room. The canvasses were larger then Harry was and each held a painting.

The first one to the right was what could be described as deceiving. A woman with large white wings stood holding a child wrapped in blankets. She had long blonde hair and violet eyes. Her clothes were all soft lilacs. She was terrifying though. Her wings were splashed with blood. The bottom of her clothes were drenched in it. Her eyes reflected the picture of a knife and her smile seemed cruel. Her blonde hair, which ended in a braid, had a snake wrapped around it to keep it held together. The child in her arms was perfectly normal. The ground she stood on, though covered in beautiful grass and the odd flower was splashed in blood and in some areas torn up like a fight had happened. The background seemed to be on fire. Larges flames consumed everything behind her. She could see shapes burning in the fires. The sky was full of dark grey clouds and huge winged figures flew in the shadows of the clouds. She stepped forwards unconsciously. Petunia peered into the flames that looked so real. She could swear that was Vernon's face in the shapes. She jerked back and looked away

The second picture was elegant. There was one grey lone wolf sitting in a relaxed way on a rock. He sat next to a rippling pool of water that glowed silver in the moonlight. The poll though, looked gold when you looked closer. In the water you could make out the details of coins and jewels. The wolf sat beside a pool full of treasure. Its coat was a healthy dark grey and its eyes were a deep gold. Surrounding the pool were large trees with elegant branches. In fact all the trees appeared to be made of precious metals and all the leaves were jewels. The rock the wolf sat on even appeared to be some precious stone. It was like a wonderland full of jewels, gold, and treasures. The wolf was looking down at the pool of glistening jewels like it was curious.

When it suddenly turned to look at her she nearly screamed, stumbling back. Magic painting. She shuddered as the wolf looked at her again before lying down to touch his nose to the pool, sending ripples out. She would never understand how he did that. She knew it wasn't normal. They had said wizards couldn't do anything without a wand. She stepped back again and Harry just looked at her and smiled. Then he scurried to his desk and pulled out five binders and all his text books.

"Finished?" She asked, swallowing thickly.

He nodded.

"I'll take them in then. You'll have to take the exams also."

He gave her another smile. Then hopped up and followed her down the stairs. He headed for the back door and she knew were he was going. As soon as they had moved in he had taken over the gardening. The greenhouse was full and alive now.

.--.

She gazed at Harry stonily. Eight. He was eight years and two weeks old. He was eight years and two weeks old and he had just passed High school. Now he was sitting talking to a man from one of the top universities of the world. She silently watched, not saying anything. When the man left, Harry flipped through the small brochure. Then he looked at her and seemed serious for once.

"I've chosen where I want to go."

She barely gave a nod.

"Can I get at least partly emancipated before I go so I can live by myself?"

She nodded and stood. Harry did the same.

"Which school?" She asked silently.

"Harvard University. They'll pay for my schooling and board on the campus. I'll pay for my own food and tutors."

She snorted.

"I assume you want to get through school as fast as possible."

He nodded.

"How long?" She asked after a moment.

He shrugged. She didn't say anything more.

.--.

She handed him the papers and his passport. He took them, tucking them into his coat. His suit case was beside him. It was there for mostly looks. He had thrown all his things in a trunk and shrunk that. His pet snake and cat were also in there. She had been surprised to learn certain trunks were made like houses and could be lived in. He had left his fish and lizard at home. He had informed her that they had spells to keep them in a deep sleep till he returned so they would not need to worry about them. His room had been sealed off also. They wouldn't be able to enter anytime soon. She looked down blankly at Harry, arms crossed impatiently. He smiled up at her as the announcement for his flight started.

"Goodbye Aunt Petunia." He said.

She scoffed and didn't say anything.

"And thank you."

"For what?" she sneered.

"Everything. All the lessons you taught me. All the training you gave me."

She stiffened.

"I am now fully capable of looking after myself. And I got all the hidden messages."

She looked away. He had figure out what she had been doing.

"What's the most important one then?" She asked in a mocking tone, though quite serious.

"Never trust anyone. Don't think for a moment you'll have help, and don't think you can rely on anyone other then yourself."

She looked down at him and her expression softened just slightly. He nodded and walked off.

"Goodbye Harry." She said silently.

.--.

End of Chapter 7.


	8. Photos

She opened the letter and her eyes scanned it quickly and a small smirk twisted her lips. Harry was doing well. With his tutors he was even skipping ahead by months of work. She pulled out the pictures in the envelope and glanced at them in surprise. There was Harry. In an art Museum. His paintings took up most of the walls and people were browsing them. Harry was smiling at the camera in front of one. Most of the paintings appeared to be sold already.

The next one was of Harry standing in what appeared to be his dorm. Two men stood with him. The first had wavy gold hair to his shoulders and cheerful blue eyes. He wore a white t-shirt and flowery board shorts. He had a deep tan, a small blonde goatee, and a large grin. The second man had long poker brown hair in a low ponytail, brown eyes, and stylish rectangle glasses. He wore black slacks, a deep blue shirt, and had a scowl on. The blonde man had one arm around the brown haired man's shoulder, and the other ruffling Harry's hair. They both appeared about twenty, and rich.

The next picture was the same three in a park. The brown haired man was reading a book while the blonde stood next to him with Harry on his shoulder. A large crow sat on Harry's shoulder. Petunia moved to the letter.

_Dear Aunt Petunia,_

_I am having a great time here in America. Harvard is a great school. I am hurrying through my classes and my tutors are helping me even more. I have been to an art sale (photo). I sold all of my paintings and have many more requests. The two men in the pictures are my roommates. Gen, the brown haired one, and Akira, the blonde, are both American. They're both magical also. They both went to a magical school here in America. They went later though, after high school. They finished with the quickest times, only two years, and finished with top grades. They are now going to university to take over their family businesses. They're both purebloods but their families have roots in the muggle world. They're quite rich. They're quite intelligent to. We became friends quite quickly. _

_Did you know I'm even famous here? Harry Potter to almost everyone in the magical world is famous because he survived a curse no one ever has, not just because he defeated Voldemort. Anyways the two have been dragging me around the city a lot, saying I have to get out. Half the time they forget I'm only eight. I have better marks then them. Akira is quiet close though. It annoys Gen that Akira is lazy and carefree, yet gets better marks without trying. They're both training to be doctors. Gen wants to be a therapist with a major in marketing. Akira is going to be a surgeon. I'm taking a bit of everything. The two think I'm insane for taking so many classes along with having a tutor. I have been going a lot of nights with little sleep but I want to finish my schooling before Hogwarts. If I can't I will just skip first year. _

_Harry_

.--.

She looked at the picture and just snorted. Harry stood with a violin to his shoulder at a concert. He'd probably started the bloody thing less then a month before that. She huffed and flipped to the next picture and choked on her drink.

Harry was driving a dune buggy with the blonde man. Harry was the one driving. They were ten feet in the air, a trail of sand showing their trail off a dune. He was grinning broadly.

The next picture was Harry jumping from a water fall into a crystal clear pool. The brown haired boy, Gen, was in the water, cringing at the splash. The area was surrounded by large exotic trees. Must have been in the rain forest or something. She glanced to the next picture and paused, gob smacked.

Harry stood smirking at the camera. Akira and Gen were hanging upside down from a tree, one foot each caught in a rope trap. A bow in Harry's hand, the fake war paint on his face, and the same on the other two told her the story. She snorted.

The next picture was of the boy and blonde surfing.

Another showed Harry on a skateboard five feet in the air, soaring over Gen, who was throwing himself to the ground.

The next was of Harry sitting by a campfire with the other two posing next to him. A rabbit roasted over a fire.

There was a great picture of them coming down a mountain, the blonde on a snow board and the other two on skis.

The next picture was Harry fighting with what looked like a martial arts master, a large Japanese house behind them. She didn't want to know how he was winning.

The next picture was Harry leaning over a green cauldron that gave an eerie glow. Shelves of bottled and jarred items surround him as he appeared to be cackling. Akira was slinking away from him.

The next picture made her burst out in laughter. Akira was laughing so hard he was crying with Gen hiding a smirk behind his hands. Harry looked pissed. He stood in a Japanese school girl uniform…and it actually looked good on him.

Next picture had Harry standing by a gaggle of beautiful teen girls in front of a French restaurant. The next one was Harry blushing as two closest too him kissed him their breasts pushing into his shoulders on either side.

The next picture was Harry in a small boat gazing at the city of Venice. He appeared lost in thought. Behind him the boat person was trying to fish a flailing Akira out of the water, Gen snickering at him.

The next picture made her choke again. Harry was knife fighting with a man. They appeared to be in an old fashioned street. Akira was taking bets behind Harry from a whole whack of odd people as Gen appeared resigned.

The next made her snort. In the final picture Harry sat in a bar. His two friends had an arm each around his shoulders making him sway as they clashed beer bottles and appeared to sing. He didn't look unhappy. She peered closer. Was that wine in his hand?

.--.

She looked down her nose at the child who just smiled up at her. Akira and Gen stood a step back looking a bit hesitant.

"So you're back." She sniffed.

Akira glared at her angrily and looked about to yell at her. Gen put a hand to his chest, stopping him though. Petunia didn't let her eyes move from Harry's stunning emerald eyes. They were the same as always. Observant, intelligent, cunning. She repressed a shudder at the look. She, shamefully, looked away first.

"Good to see you Aunt Petunia."

She snorted.

"The feeling isn't mutual."

Harry nodded sagely.

"I will be leaving tonight again. You won't see again unless I visit, which seems most unlikely."

She nodded. Then she stuck her hand out. Harry gazed at her before smiling, eyes crinkling shut as he shook her hand.

"Good luck Potter."

He smiled even wider and headed for his room. He was most likely cleaning it out. As they passed the two men slowed. Gen scowled at her.

"I don't know what agreement you and Harry have come to, but you harm him and we'll kill you."

She sneered at him.

"I took him in. I gave him the opportunity to grow. I gave him the lessons he'll need. I taught him to survive."

The man looked at her in thought and anger.

"We've taught him to live."

She snorted and waved a hand absently as she walked off. She didn't expect to see Harry more then a few more times in his life. He was no longer her problem. She paused as she watched the three head down the hall. For a moment her chest tightened. She shook her self viciously. She wouldn't miss him. She'd never liked him to begin with. Even though she told herself this she watched almost sadly as Harry turned down a hall and vanished from her line of sight.

.--.

End of Chapter 8.

End of 'Child'.

Look for sequel! (Coming Soon!) (Hopefully…)


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